by KYW's Dr. Marciene Mattleman
Ten thousand teachers, counselors, nurses and school administrators are being trained this summer as part of South Carolina’s program to prevent sex abuse in schools, to teach them to look for things that “don’t look right” and to create a culture that values their students.
The national non-profit group Darkness to Light will provide the course, first for facilitators in 86 districts, who then will conduct more in depth training in their regions, as well as in the 32 state colleges of education. The initiative is but one part of a larger statewide strategy to counter sex abuse of children.
The program features narratives from victims of child abuse, perspectives from nurses and police officers and an interactive workbook which guides educators through prevention and intervention techniques.
While most districts have policies on sex abuse, this changes the approach to action.
The article in Education Week notes that children are unlikely to report abuse; but when they do, nearly half tell a teacher. Knowing how to respond in that split second can be critical to the emotional well being of a child.
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